The ability to refrigerate food stuffs is a virtual necessity of modern society. Few, if any, modern households are without some type of refrigeration apparatus by which to refrigerate food or beverage items. By maintaining temperatures of such items close to freezing temperatures, spoilage of such items can be delayed or prevented. Refrigeration apparatus capable of cooling an item beneath the freezing temperature, thereby to maintain the item in a frozen state, prevents spoilage of such items for even greater periods of time.
Refrigeration of food and beverage items also advantageously improves the taste and flavor of many of such items. Consumer beverages, such as juices, soft drinks, wine, and beer, e.g., are considered by many to be more tasteful and flavorful when chilled.
Conventional refrigeration apparatus includes an enclosed area forming a refrigeration compartment. The refrigeration compartment is maintained at a selected temperature, e.g., approximately 40.degree. Fahrenheit. A food or beverage item, or other article, to be cooled is placed in the refrigeration compartment. Over time, the item, or other article, is cooled to be of the temperature at which the refrigeration compartment of the refrigeration apparatus is maintained.
Refrigeration apparatus conventionally utilized in many households is formed of a compression refrigerator. In such a compression refrigerator, advantage is taken of the relationship between pressure levels and the boiling point of a fluid, e.g., Freon (TM) which forms a refrigerant. Namely, when a liquid boils, the liquid absorbs heats energy. A compression refrigerator alternately compresses and condenses the fluid. The refrigerant is passed, e.g., by way of a coiled pipe, proximate to the refrigeration compartment. Heat energy of the compartment is transferred to the refrigerant. The refrigerant is then compressed and is provided to a condenser whereat the heat energy is transferred there away.
Another type of refrigeration apparatus, an absorption refrigerator, is analogously operable to cool the refrigeration compartment. In an absorption refrigerator, a compressor, however, is not required. Other types of refrigeration apparatus have been developed, e.g., a peltier refrigerator. Such apparatus is operable to reduce the temperature levels of a refrigeration compartment.
Conventional refrigeration apparatus typically utilized in most modern households, however, requires that an article to be cooled be placed in the refrigeration compartment of the refrigeration apparatus for an extended period of time to chill the article. Such an extended time period can be bothersome to a consumer of the food or beverage if the consumer must place the item in the enclosed area of the refrigeration apparatus and wait for the item to be chilled.
Microwave heating apparatus, in contrast, used to heat an item permits the item desired to be heated to be heated quickly. Consumer-usable coolant apparatus permitting analogous cooling of an item is not available.
A manner by which an article, such as a food or beverage item, could be more quickly cooled would therefore be advantageous.
It is in light of this background information related to coolant apparatus that the significant advantages of the present invention have evolved.